U home with E.T. branding
Studios fetes film's 20th anni
More Articles:
Most Viewed:
Nine(9948 views)Spielberg abandons 'Harvey'(4685 views)Johnny Depp eyes Pancho Villa role(2571 views)Anderson working on 'Master'(2167 views)Box office incumbents stay strong(1297 views)Imprint Entertainment to remake 'Phone'(1200 views) |
The studio, which is re-releasing the Steven Spielberg pic "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial" next March, has launched a yearlong branding initiative to commemorate its 20th anniversary.
For the first time since Seagram's bought the studio in 1995, Universal Pictures is revising its logo.
For the next 13 months, beginning with the Nov. 21 release of "Spy Game," an animated version of the studio logo will show E.T. and Elliot bicycling across the Universal globe. And John Williams' "Flying" score from the movie will be incorporated into the Universal musical fanfare.
The image of E.T. and Elliot will also begin appearing in all Universal TV, home entertainment, theme parks, publishing, online, music and merchandise products.
" 'E.T.' is a cornerstone of this company," Universal Studios prexy and chief operating officer Ron Meyer told Daily Variety. "Of all films that this studio has ever done, the studio is most identified with 'E.T.' "
"E.T." was a landmark event for U in part because it provided a model for the sort of cross-divisional branding that's become a studio hallmark.
As part of the new campaign, U will release the pic for the first time on DVD.
It has already begun rolling out a host of new products -- including an "E.T." Web site, new merchandise, an enhanced film score and a commemorative coffee-table book -- while initiating retail and promotional partnerships with such companies as Toys R Us and Kraft/Nabisco.
